Category: Michielutti Bros. Inc.

Best of NCTA 2018

Breadth, Beauty, Versatility

Each year, the North Central Terrazzo Association gathers to discuss advances in technology, to refine industry techniques, and to build camaraderie across our association. We seek to make time-tested terrazzo techniques even better.

We also look back at the projects completed by our association members that show the breadth, beauty, and versatility of terrazzo flooring. Many of these projects are award-winning designs and installations, and they include hospitals, colleges, research centers, sports arenas, transportation hubs, and churches.

Join us as we celebrate some of the finest projects the contractors of the North Central Terrazzo Association have created.

Reflecting our DNA with Design

Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

There is no design more pure and beautiful than that of the human body. When Michigan State University looked to build their new bio-engineering facility terrazzo flooring was a natural choice – like the human body it provides perfect form and function. The project won a 2017 Honor Award from the National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association (NTMA), as well as a 2017 AIA Michigan Interiors Award.

The new 130,000-square-foot installation spans over four floors, including a stairwell that resembles an immense, colorful DNA strand. The floor design incorporates a total of 10,000 square feet of epoxy terrazzo with a starburst node pattern in five sizes scattered in a two-color pallet. The staircase, the focal point of the open atrium, consists of 168 sections of pre-cast terrazzo tread-and-riser combinations.

The artistic nature of the facility, particularly showcased in the DNA-like staircase, is designed to attract the next generation of biomedical scientists and help cultivate them into leading researchers. The building is purposefully open to inspire students to collaborate and conduct research that could change the world.

In celebration of the most interesting, creative, beautiful, and appealing terrazzo floors completed by NTMA contractors, the NTMA recently announced its 2015 NTMA Honor Award winners. The NCTA is pleased to announce that two of its members won honor awards for their exquisite work: Menconi Terrazzo and Michielutti Bros., Inc.

This annual competition honors the best terrazzo installations completed within the last year.

Projects are judged on:

excellence in craftsmanship

intricacy of design

scope of work

originality of ideas

artistic and faithful reproduction of architects’ or designers’ drawings

quality of construction materials

A panel of five industry experts and experienced designers use this criteria to score the project based on photos and a job description. The project’s name, location, terrazzo contractor, and all other parties involved with the project are kept secret.

Once the scores are totaled, the winners are announced, with the highest scoring project receiving the title of “Job of the Year.”

Biomedical Science Research Building, University of Michigan

At the University of Michigan’s Biomedical Science Research Building, there is an emphasis on intellectual collaboration and innovation. This spirit carries over into the building’s architecture with a clean, modern design that represents different scientific themes rather than individual departments.

The building’s lobby serves as the well-traveled heart of this collaboration, connecting laboratories, faculty offices, and seminar rooms together. Terrazzo’s durability and flexible design provided the necessary attributes to stand up to high traffic while meeting the modern design requirement.

An eye-catching four-color linear pattern is featured in the lobby, using the classic UofM blue and gold and a pristine white background to create elegant pathways. Pockets of colors are used to indicate meeting spaces along the 20,000 square feet of these pathways, reminding visitors of the building’s collaboration intent.

“Stripes within stripes are superimposed on a large strip of another angle and interspersed with random, abstract cloud forms, creating a sense of space and spaciousness,” Bob Michielutti of Michielutti Bros., Inc. said.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital Outpatient Care PavilionFor its new Outpatient Care Pavilion, Northwestern Memorial Hospital needed a public space that would connect the new building with the existing buildings on the healthcare campus.

To create the flowing pattern necessary to guide visitors through the space, terrazzo was used to tie together the old and new in a classic, yet contemporary way.

They incorporated old and new with curve, bar, and band designs in neutral colors. Kimberly Cook, associate vice president at CannonDesign, said the combination of these design aspects with the building’s architecture helped to create a better sense of flow.

“We brought the two elements of organized geometry and curving organic form together to bridge some of what was happening in the building and on the Northwestern campus overall,” she said.

The subtle, neutral colors were chosen to create a dynamic pattern that would create the effect the hospital was after.

“The only material we felt could accomplish the organic shape in a successful and impactful manner was terrazzo,” Cook said.

Schools need ample space, since they provide many more services than classroom instruction. Many school host events like concerts, parent-teacher conferences, book and science fairs, and teacher training seminars. Often, schools accommodate these needs by building separate conference or event spaces. But what if a school already has a separate space, and it needs more?

The Macomb Intermediate School District’s (MISD) Educational Services Center serves as the primary resource for special education, student services, and instructional and educational training for the district. The continued growth of these programs meant MISD was quickly outgrowing the building. To meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff, an addition was necessary.

On tight site restrictions, Integrated Design Solutions worked to blend the addition into one seamless complex within the existing building, while providing the school with the space it needed. The three-story addition includes a large atrium, a conference center, training spaces on the first and second floors, and offices on the third.

Because the atrium would serve as the main gathering space for large functions and the through-way to the other areas, it would see the most heavy traffic. Ann Green, senior associate and manager of interior design, Integrated Design Solutions, said terrazzo created a flexible solution for the various uses of the atrium.

Terrazzo’s flexibility allowed for the curvilinear features of the building’s architecture to be incorporated into the flooring. These curves and repeating elements were used to highlight the main traffic flow, create a connection to the existing building, and emphasize the function of the building as a whole.

“We created a playful pattern, since the functions in the building are all about serving children of Macomb County,” Green said. “Terrazzo is a durable, seamless, timeless material with unlimited design possibilities.”

These unlimited possibilities of terrazzo paired well with the brick, wood, and natural light used in the atrium design, making it a design that will stand the test of time and help educate students for years to come.

The Crisler Center, the home of Wolverine basketball since 1967, was in need of a renovation. Less than ideal amenities, seating, and air and plumbing systems kept the aging arena from measuring up to others across the Big Ten Conference. Though upgrades were necessary, Bill Frederick, architect at TMP Architecture, said at its heart, the Crisler Center had everything it needed to dominate the paint.

According to Frederick, building upon these strong elements made the transition from outdated to upgraded much simpler than starting over. “It was a solid structure, but it was time for renewal.”

The renovations were originally slated to achieve LEED Silver certification. But Frederick said as the project developed, it became clear the building could obtain LEED gold. “We were able to do that because of a combination of reuse of materials, efficient mechanical systems and some site things relative to the fact of where the university is located,” he said. This idea of repurposing existing buildings is something Frederick said is a very natural, sustainable approach to construction.

The first phase of the project addressed the highest priority infrastructure needs and included repairs to the roof and electrical, plumbing, and air handling systems. Seating improvements were made with updates for those with disabilities. Any code-related issues were also taken care of during this phase. A new high-definition video scoreboard and a premium seating area were installed.

On an incredibly short deadline for phase two, Michielutti Bros. covered 50,600 square feet in terrazzo, including the concourse level and the lower east entryway, all in time for basketball season.

Installing terrazzo in a renewed building is the perfect fit, due to its creation from reused materials and sustainability. “It’s a pretty neat material. It holds up well and has low maintenance needs,” Frederick said.

The terrazzo not only played a role in the gold certification the building achieved, but also added the spirit of the Wolverines to the arena. The rousing U of M fight song is embedded within the terrazzo at each column – leading the spectators and players to victory.

“It’s one of those small details that is meant to be discovered, to be enjoyed and to help create a feeling about the facility and about the university. It’s there to reinforce the whole experience,” Frederick said.

With concourses that were old, dated, and constricted, the University of Michigan’s Crisler Center needed a facelift. Bill Frederick, project architect with TMP Architecture Inc., said though the structure was solid, there just wasn’t the amount of space that is found in newer arenas.

“What we wanted to do was build upon the strong elements of the existing Crisler building,” he said.

TMP’s initial target for the renovation was LEED Silver, something almost mandated by many universities today. Frederick said since obtaining LEED certification is a stringent process, architects try to work in some “cushion points.” Due to these extra points gained through the use of recycled materials, efficient mechanical systems, and the location of materials relative to the university, the project is Gold-certified.

One of the recycled materials used was terrazzo.

More than 50,000 square feet of epoxy terrazzo was installed in the concourse, for stairs from the concourse to the east side of the building and in the east entryway, all in time for basketball season.

Bursting with school pride, the university’s infamous fight song “The Victors,” can be found as water-jet solid zinc letters embedded in the terrazzo. The school’s logo appears in hallways leading to the court.

“With a little bit of maintenance, it will be looking as good 20 years from now at it does today,” Frederick said. “It was a straight-line decision to terrazzo because it had the performance history and the flexibility that we needed to address the design.”

The awards honor the best terrazzo floors from the last year. Projects are judged on the basis of:

excellence in craftsmanship

intricacy of design

scope of work

originality of ideas

artistic and faithful reproduction of architects’ or designers’ drawings

quality of construction materials

Five experts and experience designers score the projects based on photos and a description of the job, but the project’s name, location, contractor, and all other parties involved with the construction are kept secret. Once the scores are tallied, the winners are announced, and the highest score receives the honor of “Job of the Year.”

Originally built like a fortress in 1927, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit branch building was given new purpose as a retail and office space, with flooring that will make you stop on a dime.

To rise to the glory of “The Victors,” the University of Michigan’s Crisler Center was in need of a renewal, complete with banners flying with the floors – leading “The champions of the West” to victory.

Detailed posts about each project will be posted throughout the weekend, so make sure to check back!

Artist Hubert Massey works on a grand scale to celebrate culture. His latest outdoor project showcases the beauty and durability of terrazzo.

“My main ambition in urban communities in the United States is to make a difference by telling the history of our cultural richness,” Massey told Elizabeth Atkins of BLAC Detroit. “My art celebrates how much I love this city.”

Massey is known for creating large-scale public art in Detroit, where he lives. He is best known as a muralist, but he also loves terrazzo. His 72 foot-diameter terrazzo work “Genealogy” graces the rotunda floor in the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

His latest terrazzo design, “Paradise Valley,” forms the walkway in Detroit’s Harmonie Park and pays homage to musicians, public figures, and community leaders who had an impact on the area. The people depicted in the terrazzo artwork include internationally recognized entertainers who toured the Paradise Valley area of Detroit.

The images were created by NCTA contractor Michielutti Bros. using rustic terrazzo murals surrounded by granite pavers. Massey chose rustic terrazzo because of its unlimited design and color potential, in addition to its durability in high traffic areas.

To allow the artist to skillfully depict the images in terrazzo, 12 custom colors were created. To overcome the challenge of weather—the murals are subjected to freezing temperatures as well as snow and ice—no divider strips were used. This required skillful attention to detail in the terrazzo work to realize the artist’s renditions of each figure and building.

The result is impressive and won contractor Michielutti Bros., Inc. a 2011 Honor Award from the National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association (NTMA).